--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When the Negro was completely an…" description: "\"When the Negro was completely an underdog, he needed white spokesmen. Liberals played their parts in this period exceedingly well… But now that the Neg..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ce/martin-luther-king-jr-127_assertive_when-the-negro-was-completely-an-underdo_2185816.png" --- # When the Negro was completely an underdog, he needed white… ![“When the Negro was completely an underdog, he needed white spokesmen. Liberals played their parts in this period exceedingly well… But now that the Negro has rejected his role as an underdog, he has become more assertive in his search for identity and group solidarity; he wants to speak for himself.” quote by Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ce/martin-luther-king-jr-127_assertive_when-the-negro-was-completely-an-underdo_2185816.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ce/martin-luther-king-jr-127_assertive_when-the-negro-was-completely-an-underdo_2185816.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ce/martin-luther-king-jr-127_assertive_when-the-negro-was-completely-an-underdo_2185816.png) > “When the Negro was completely an underdog, he needed white spokesmen. Liberals played their parts in this period exceedingly well… But now that the Negro has rejected his role as an underdog, he has become more assertive in his search for identity and group solidarity; he wants to speak for himself.” [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. When marginalized groups gain confidence, they seek self‑representation rather than relying on allies. **In simple terms:** Empowered groups want to speak for themselves. Key Takeaway Encourage self‑advocacy. Themes identity solidarity empowerment representation Mood reflective hopeful determined Type political inspirational When to use this quote - activism - community organizing - media representation Key Concepts social dynamics group psychology civil rights Questions to Reflect On - How do we balance ally support with empowerment? - What challenges arise when groups claim their own voice? A Different Perspective Self‑advocacy can clash with existing power structures. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Assertive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/assertive/) [Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/black/) [Black history](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/black-history/) [Groups](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/groups/) [Identity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/identity/) [Needed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/needed/) [Negro Rejected](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/negro-rejected-4742572/) [Periods](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/periods/) [Racism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/racism/) [Rejected](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rejected/) [Role Underdog](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/role-underdog-4742570/) [Roles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/roles/) [Search for identity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/search-for-identity/) [Solidarity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/solidarity/) [Speak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/speak/) [Spokesmen Liberals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spokesmen-liberals-4742568/) [Underdog](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/underdog/) [Underdog Assertive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/underdog-assertive-4742569/) [Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want/) [Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wells/) [White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/white/) [White Spokesmen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/white-spokesmen-4742571/) ## Related quotes > [“Another example of this is astrology. Multitudes of believers are subconsciously bound to the characteristics and weaknesses of their "zodiac sign." In their search…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-frangipane/another-example-of-this-is-astrology-multitudes-of-believers-are/) [Francis Frangipane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-frangipane/) > [I made a vow that I wouldn't be tempted by what could happen to me if I went to Europe. I thought, 'You could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derek-walcott/i-made-a-vow-that-i-wouldn-t-be-tempted-by-what-could-happen-to-me-if/) [Derek Walcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derek-walcott/) > [One thing you can't intend is how you will be read. I hear it said a lot that my books are about the 'search…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zadie-smith/one-thing-you-can-t-intend-is-how-you-will-be-read-i-hear-it-said-a/) [Zadie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zadie-smith/) > [“The Romantic journey was usually a solitary one. 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In On Shame and the Search for Identity Helen Lynd writes, “One’s feeling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bradshaw/blushing-manifests-the-exposure-the-unexpectedness-the-involuntary/) [John Bradshaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bradshaw/) > [“She: The Final Becoming There comes a moment, one that’s often overlooked or misinterpreted, where the search for identity stops being a quest for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-rose/she-the-final-becoming-there-comes-a-moment-one-that-s-often/) [L. Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-rose/) > [“Prayer helps us overcome the fear that is related to building our life just on the interpersonal—“What does he or she think of me?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-j-m-nouwen/prayer-helps-us-overcome-the-fear-that-is-related-to-building-our/) [Henri J.M. Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-j-m-nouwen/) > [The journey of the hero is about the courage to seek the depths; the image of creative rebirth; the eternal cycle of change within…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-cousineau/the-journey-of-the-hero-is-about-the-courage-to-seek-the-depths-the/) [Phil Cousineau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-cousineau/) > [“DECEMBER 8 If Christ is your life, you are free from the desperate quest to find life in situations, locations, and relationships. It is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-david-tripp/december-8-if-christ-is-your-life-you-are-free-from-the-desperate/) [Paul David Tripp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-david-tripp/) > [Re-vision – the act of looking back, of seeing with fresh eyes, of entering an old text from a new critical direction – is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrienne-rich/re-vision-the-act-of-looking-back-of-seeing-with-fresh-eyes-of-3/) [Adrienne Rich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrienne-rich/) > [“Re-vision--the act of looking back, of seeing with fresh eyes, of entering an old text from a new critical direction--is for women more than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrienne-rich/re-vision-the-act-of-looking-back-of-seeing-with-fresh-eyes-of-2/) [Adrienne Rich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrienne-rich/) > [I think within our music there is a real strong idea of search, search for identity, search for place, search for time, search for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-kerr/i-think-within-our-music-there-is-a-real-strong-idea-of-search-search/) [Jim Kerr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-kerr/) > [The troubles of the 20th century are not unlike those of adolescence -- rapid growth beyond the ability of organizations to manage, uncontrollable emotion,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-e-boulding/the-troubles-of-the-20th-century-are-not-unlike-those-of-adolescence/) [Kenneth E. Boulding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-e-boulding/) ## More by Martin Luther King, Jr > [The strong man holds in a living blend strongly marked opposites.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/the-strong-man-holds-in-a-living-blend-strongly-marked-opposites/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [Our nation was born in genocide when it embraced the doctrine that the original American, the Indian, was an inferior race. ... We are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/our-nation-was-born-in-genocide-when-it-embraced-the-doctrine-that/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [Somewhere somebody must have some sense. Men must see that force begets force, hate begets hate, toughness begets toughness. And it is all a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/somewhere-somebody-must-have-some-sense-men-must-see-that-force/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [Every genuine expression of love grows out of a consistent and total surrender to God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/every-genuine-expression-of-love-grows-out-of-a-consistent-and-total/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [We must remember that intelligence is not enough. Intelligence plus character--that is the goal of true education. The complete education gives one not only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/we-must-remember-that-intelligence-is-not-enough-intelligence-plus/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [I’ve been to the Mountaintop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/i-ve-been-to-the-mountaintop/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [The supreme task is to organize and unite people so that their anger becomes a transforming force.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/the-supreme-task-is-to-organize-and-unite-people-so-that-their-anger/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [The great issue of life is to harness the drum major instinct.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/the-great-issue-of-life-is-to-harness-the-drum-major-instinct/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [Somebody must have sense enough and morality enough to cut off the chain of hate and the chain of evil in the universe. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/somebody-must-have-sense-enough-and-morality-enough-to-cut-off-the/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [Darkness is only driven out with light, not more darkness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/darkness-is-only-driven-out-with-light-not-more-darkness/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [What seems so necessary today may not even be desirable tomorrow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/what-seems-so-necessary-today-may-not-even-be-desirable-tomorrow/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [The Negro cannot win the respect of his oppressor by acquiescing; he merely increases the oppressor's arrogance and contempt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/the-negro-cannot-win-the-respect-of-his-oppressor-by-acquiescing-he/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [The majority of the Negroes who took part in the year-long boycott of Montgomery's buses were poor and untutored; but they understood the essence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/the-majority-of-the-negroes-who-took-part-in-the-year-long-boycott-of/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [Whenever you are engaged in work that serves humanity and is for the building of humanity, it has dignity and it has worth,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/whenever-you-are-engaged-in-work-that-serves-humanity-and-is-for-the/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a desert state, sweltering with the heat of injustice and oppression, will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/i-have-a-dream-that-one-day-even-the-state-of-mississippi-a-desert/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) [Explore all 1,210 Martin Luther King, Jr quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) ## More Assertive quotes > [“Be calm; yet assertive. Be meek; yet courageous. Be gentle; yet bold. Be kind; yet strong.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-f-glassman-2/be-calm-yet-assertive-be-meek-yet-courageous-be-gentle-yet-bold-be/) [Charles F Glassman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-f-glassman-2/) > [Of course you don't want to make outs on the bases , but there are times you have to be assertive in order to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-maddon/of-course-you-don-t-want-to-make-outs-on-the-bases-but-there-are/) [Joe Maddon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-maddon/) > [Being assertive in the home does not produce any smiling faces, but it does bring out a few tongues.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wes-fesler/being-assertive-in-the-home-does-not-produce-any-smiling-faces-but-it/) [Wes Fesler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wes-fesler/) > [Arrogance is a mixture of impertinence, disobedience, indiscipline, rudeness, harshness, and a self-assertive nature.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sivananda/arrogance-is-a-mixture-of-impertinence-disobedience-indiscipline/) [Sivananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sivananda/) > [I think naturally, if you're an actor, there's a high level of assertiveness that you need to have to survive this business. There's boldness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryan-cranston/i-think-naturally-if-you-re-an-actor-there-s-a-high-level-of/) [Bryan Cranston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryan-cranston/) > [I was very shy and withdrawn as a child, but people know me as these assertive women. They are not me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bea-arthur/i-was-very-shy-and-withdrawn-as-a-child-but-people-know-me-as-these/) [Bea Arthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bea-arthur/) > [Let your desire for truth transcend all minor considerations. Ignorance is invariably confident. The man of knowledge learns to realize his own needs. Be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grenville-kleiser/let-your-desire-for-truth-transcend-all-minor-considerations/) [Grenville Kleiser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grenville-kleiser/) > [The best defense against usurpatory government is an assertive citizenry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-f-buckley-jr/the-best-defense-against-usurpatory-government-is-an-assertive/) [William F. Buckley, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-f-buckley-jr/) > [Out of the closets and into the museums, libraries, architectural monuments, concert halls, bookstores, recording studios and film studios of the world. Everything belongs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/out-of-the-closets-and-into-the-museums-libraries-architectural/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The word 'seek' means to go in search of, try to discover, try to acquire. It requires an active, assertive approach to life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-b-wirthlin/the-word-seek-means-to-go-in-search-of-try-to-discover-try-to-acquire/) [Joseph B. Wirthlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-b-wirthlin/) > [The North American intellectual tradition began, I maintain, in the encounter of British Romanticism with assertive, pragmatic North American English - the Protestant plain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-paglia/the-north-american-intellectual-tradition-began-i-maintain-in-the/) [Camille Paglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-paglia/) > [I'm not a very assertive person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/prunella-scales/i-m-not-a-very-assertive-person/) [Prunella Scales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/prunella-scales/) > [I'm as proud and assertive in my Quebec identity as any Quebecer. I believe it's to Quebec's advantage to be part of the Canadian…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philippe-couillard/i-m-as-proud-and-assertive-in-my-quebec-identity-as-any-quebecer-i/) [Philippe Couillard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philippe-couillard/) > [The person who knows a great deal about things but has never learnt to see, tends to be assertive; those who have once lost…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-vann/the-person-who-knows-a-great-deal-about-things-but-has-never-learnt/) [Gerald Vann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-vann/) > [Be assertive, but don't forget to look around. I realized there are other opinions that can be more useful to me than just sticking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/britt-robertson/be-assertive-but-don-t-forget-to-look-around-i-realized-there-are/) [Britt Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/britt-robertson/) [Browse all 167 Assertive quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/assertive/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When the Negro was completely an underdog, he needed white spokesmen. 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